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Cape Verde XI vs Uruguay – Predicted lineup and team news
Cape Verde arrive at Miami Stadium on Sunday looking to build on one of the most celebrated results in their nation’s sporting history.The Blue Sharks produced a disciplined, resolute defensive disp...
New Zealand vs Egypt – Match preview and team news
New Zealand and Egypt meet in their second round match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the BC Place, Vancouver on Monday as both teams looks to register their first win of the competition.New Zealand vs...
New Liverpool signing dealt World Cup injury setback
Liverpool winger Victor Munoz may have to wait a bit longer to make his FIFA World Cup debut with Spain after suffering an injury setback. The 22-year-old will join the Reds on 1st July after the Mer...
'Proactive' Johansson's Motherwell appointment 'very exciting'
Former Hibernian player Kevin Nicol believes "proactive" Alfred Johansson's appointment as Motherwell manager is "very exciting". Nicol is assistant at Fredrikstad, who play in the same Norwegian top flight as Johansson's former club Rosenborg. Swede Johansson, 35, replaces Jens Berthel Askou, who became a hugely popular figure with the Fir Park faithful.
Despite claims of financial troubles, Newark wants to gift outgoing councilman lifetime health benefits
The Newark City Council wants to reward retiring City Councilman Carlos Gonzalez with lifetime health benefits in appreciation for his “long and faithful
World Cup Day 4: Germany thrash Curacao, Five-star Sweden
Sunday’s World Cup action featured emphatic wins for Germany and Sweden, alongside a ding-dong encounter between the Netherlands and Japan.We’ve recapped all the happenings from matchday four, inc...
Spain vs Cape Verde – Match preview and team news
Spain aim for a perfect World Cup start against tournament debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta on Monday.Luis de la Fuente boasts a spectacular squad that won the European Championship against England in ...
Uruguay XI vs Saudi Arabia – Predicted lineup and team news
Uruguay launch their World Cup campaign against Saudi Arabia in Miami on Monday.La Celeste aim to secure a dominant victory in this Group H opener. Marcelo Bielsa has implemented a high-pressing tacti...
Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay – Predicted lineup and team news
Saudi Arabia kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign against Uruguay on Monday evening.Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium hosts this highly anticipated Group H encounter. The Green Falcons want to secure a po...
Cape Verde XI vs Spain – Predicted lineup and team news
Cape Verde face Spain in Atlanta on Monday to make absolute World Cup history.This monumental match represents their first-ever appearance at the global finals, completing a remarkable journey. The Bl...
Rush is reunited with its faithful through tears and riffs
Opening its first post-Neil Peart tour with high energy and a smartly chosen set list, the band also has a showstopper in touring drummer Anika Nilles.
Bruno Fernandes scores winner as Portugal beat Chile
Bruno Fernandes scored the decisive goal as Portugal beat Chile 2-1 in a World Cup warm-up fixture.The Manchester United continued his outstanding club form for the national team, sweeping in the seco...
Tuchel reveals ‘honest’ talks with Toney about England role
Thomas Tuchel has revealed he has had “one or two honest conversations” with Ivan Toney about his role in the England squad ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Toney, who plays in the Saudi Pro Lea...
England vs New Zealand- Match preview and team news
England enter the absolute final stage of their World Cup preparations on Saturday when they face New Zealand in Tampa in a penultimate warm-up friendly.This crucial clash at the Raymond James Stadium...
Algeria: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Vladimir Petkovic guides Algeria back to the FIFA World Cup this summer for the first time since 2014.The Desert Foxes make a fifth tournament appearance, following 1982, 1986, 2010 and 2014. Their de...
Iraq: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Iraq end a 40-year wait at the FIFA World Cup this summer as the Lions of Mesopotamia return to football’s biggest stage for the first time since Mexico 1986.Their last appearance brought three defe...
Senegal: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Sadio Mané leads Senegal into a fourth FIFA World Cup this summer, still chasing the heights of their 2002 fairytale.The Lions of Teranga reached the quarter-finals on their tournament debut, beating...
Jordan: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Jordan make their FIFA World Cup debut this summer, joining Cape Verde, Curaçao and Uzbekistan as the four tournament newcomers.The Al-Nashama qualified by finishing second in AFC third-round Group B...
Chelsea consider €30m deal for Juventus defender Cambiaso
Chelsea are considering a move to sign Andrea Cambiaso from Juventus after the Italian side missed out on Champions League qualification.Juventus are planning sales this summer after a sixth-place fin...
Sweden: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Sweden goes to North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer as they look to make a lasting impact on the global stage after missing out in 2022.Graham Potter steadied the ship in the qualifying pr...
Netherlands: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Netherlands travel to North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer with a renewed sense of ambition, looking to finally go one step further after a history of near misses on the biggest stage.The ...
Cape Verde: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Cape Verde travel to North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer to make their debut on football’s biggest stage.The Blue Sharks reached a first finals after seven previous attempts, the crowni...
Carrick wishlist revealed as Man United plan five signings
Michael Carrick wants to make five signings this summer as Manchester United prepare to return to the Champions League.United are on the verge of securing their first addition of the summer window, af...
Spain vs Iraq – Predicted lineup and team news
Spain host Iraq at the Estadio Abanca-Riazor on Thursday evening to commence their final World Cup warm-up campaign.The reigning European champions enter the tournament as one of the definitive favour...
Belgium: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Belgium travel to North America this summer, aiming to revive a fading football identity at their fourth successive World Cup.Rudi Garcia, appointed in January 2025, takes the Red Devils into the fina...
Scotland: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Scotland visit North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer, ending a 28-year absence from the tournament’s biggest stage and giving the Tartan Army the moment they have been dreaming of since F...
New Zealand: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
New Zealand travel to North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer, chasing a first-ever tournament victory.The All Whites return to the global stage for the first time since 2010. This will be th...
Paraguay: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
Paraguay heads towards North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer, ending a 16-year absence from football’s biggest stage.Gustavo Alfaro’s side navigated a gruelling CONMEBOL qualifying camp...
South Korea: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
South Korea travels to North America for the FIFA World Cup this summer, aiming to recapture the spirit of their greatest tournament performance and push deep into the knockout rounds once again.Hong ...
South Africa: 2026 World Cup Squad, Fixtures and Schedule
South Africa head into the 2026 FIFA World Cup with momentum after securing qualification and returning to the tournament for the first time since 2010.South Africa earned their place by finishing top...
Inter Milan move to beat Premier League clubs to Palestra
Inter Milan have made their move to beat Premier League teams to the signing of Marco Palestra.The right-back is Inter’s top target to replace Denzel Dumfries, who is closing in on a transfer to Rea...
England release squad numbers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
England have released their squad numbers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Thomas Tuchel’s team head to North America in search of a first major tournament success in 60 years this summer.The German name...
Alejandro Garnacho offered to three Serie A giants
During his time at Manchester United, Alejandro Garnacho was adored by the Old Trafford faithful and was regularly serenaded during matches by the Stretford End.Despite inconsistent displays, the Red ...
Champions League final 2026 in pictures as PSG beat Arsenal
The Champions League trophy will remain in Paris after PSG retained their crown by beating Arsenal in a penalty shootout in the 2026 final. The Gunners put themselves in a great position to win the c...
PSG ‘want more’ after winning second Champions League title
PSG star Desire Doue says the club want to win even more trophies after beating Arsenal on penalties to claim their second successive Champions League title. Gabriel missed the decisive spot kick aft...
Arteta hails Arsenal courage after Premier League title win
Mikel Arteta has hailed the courage of his team after Arsenal were presented with the Premier League trophy.Arsenal lifted the Premier League following the club’s 2-1 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday...
Manchester United ‘best placed’ to sign AC Milan winger
Manchester United are ‘best placed’ to sign Rafael Leao from AC Milan with the Italian side open to his sale this summer.Milan are understood to be ready to consider proposals of around €50m (£...
Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton – Predicted lineup and team news
Tottenham Hotspur welcome Everton to North London, facing an incredibly tense Premier League season finale.Roberto De Zerbi’s team are fighting to avoid the club’s first relegation since 1977. Spu...
Saturday Night Open Thread: In Memorium
Come and join this merry band of Steelers’ faithful for some lively debate about our Steelers, good food, music, and the merits of the odd cold beverage.
The Democrats’ Autopsy Isn’t Helpful. New Ideas Are
At long last, and after much scrutiny, the Democratic National Committee’s audit of the 2024 election cycle is out. And so are the knives. The nearly 200-page report landed with a thud, angering the party faithful just five months before an election that demands Democrats play error-free ball. While the DNC has oddly distanced itself from its own report, which hardly seems that revelatory or controversial, actual Democrats already seemed to be implementing some of the lessons.
Barcelona vs Real Betis – Match preview and team news
Barcelona are ready to face Real Betis on Sunday in a La Liga encounter.Hansi Flick’s men will be looking to bounce back after their recent loss and will look to win their final home match of this s...
Saturday Night Open Thread: The Whole 9 Yard Sales
Come and join this merry band of Steelers’ faithful for some lively debate about our Steelers, good food, music, and the merits of the odd cold beverage.
Borussia Dortmund predicted lineup and team news vs Werder Bremen
Borussia Dortmund take on Werder Bremen in their final Bundesliga match of the season this Saturday.Dortmund have already locked in second place with 70 points from 33 games, while Werder Bremen sit 1...
Knicks fans completely take over Philadelphia local broadcast, too
The Philadelphia 76ers have some soul-searching to do after being swept out of the 2026 NBA Playoffs by the rival New York Knicks. Adding insult to injury, Knicks fans completely took over the Sixers’ home arena, Xfinity Mobile Arena, despite players pleading with the Philly faithful not to let that happen. And if getting swept…
Open Thread: May 4, 2026
Your daily source for off topic chatter with the MMA Mania faithful.
Manchester United vs Liverpool – Predicted lineup and team news
Manchester United aim to secure Champions League qualification when they host bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday.Michael Carrick’s side currently sit third with 61 points from 34 matches. They have w...
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace – Match preview and team news
Bournemouth welcome Crystal Palace to the south coast on Sunday as they chase a historic European qualification spot.Andoni Iraola’s side are currently enjoying a club-record 14-match unbeaten run i...
Big Sky Democrats Battle Over ‘Poison’ Brand
Montana Democrats thought they found a novel way to win control of the U.S. Senate—until the party faithful started fighting back.
'Schmigadoon!' review: The Broadway adaptation is a 150-minute smile faithful to the series
'Schmigadoon!' has finally hit Broadway. Read EW's review to hear how Alex Brightman and Sara Chase take over roles made famous by Keegan Michael-Key and Cecily Strong on the Apple TV series.
Newcastle prepared to take £40m loss on summer signing
Newcastle United are ready to cut their losses and sell Yoane Wissa for as little as £15M this summer.Wissa has struggled to make an impact since his £55M transfer from Brentford last summer, with a...
Juventus vs Bologna – Predicted lineup and team news
Juventus will aim to strengthen their hold on a top-four spot when they face Bologna at the Allianz Stadium on Sunday in Serie A.The Turin side has an impressive record in this fixture, going unbeaten...
Hellas Verona vs AC Milan – Match preview and team news
AC Milan go head-to-head against Hellas Verona in a Serie A match on Sunday in a Matchday 33 clash.AC Milan currently sits in third position in the league with 63 points, just five points above fifth ...
Support from the fans will be crucial, says Zabaleta
Former City defender Pablo Zabaleta believes the Blues faithful will be important as we fight tooth and nail in the final stages of the 2025-26 season. Men's Team City will fight to give Bernardo the ...
Bayern Munich vs Stuttgart – Predicted lineup and team news
Bayern Munich hosts VfB Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena on Sunday in their Bundesliga matchday 30 fixture, with the title now within touching distance.Vincent Kompany’s side needs just a single point...
Nottingham Forest vs Burnley – Predicted lineup and team news
Nottingham Forest host Burnley today, seeking to translate their European momentum into vital Premier League points.The Tricky Trees are currently riding an emotional high after reaching the Europa Le...
AS Roma vs Atalanta – Match preview and team news
AS Roma face Atalanta in matchday 33 of the Serie A on Saturday night at the Stadio Olimpico.Both teams are fighting for European spots next season as AS Roma sits at sixth in the table with 57 points...
Chelsea vs Manchester United – Match preview and team news
Chelsea enter “must-win” territory on Saturday night as they host Manchester United in West London.Liam Rosenior’s side have lost three consecutive Premier League matches and desperately need to...
Newcastle United vs Bournemouth – Match preview and team news
The spotlight shines on Andoni Iraola today as he leads Bournemouth to Newcastle United following his announced departure.The Cherries contest their first match since confirmation that Iraola will lea...
Premier League weekend fixtures and schedule
It’s a massive weekend of Premier League football with crucial clashes at both ends of the table.The biggest game happens at the Etihad, where the top two collide. Manchester City host Premier Leagu...
Champions League Awards: Instant classics and Guler’s Golazo
Our Champions League Awards celebrate the best – and worst – of this week’s quarter-final action, featuring an instant classic between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.Moment of the WeekCould you g...
Arsenal XI vs Sporting CP – Predicted lineup and team news
Arsenal host Sporting CP tonight, aiming to clinch a place in the Champions League semi-finals.The Gunners hold a slender 1–0 aggregate lead after a resilient display in Lisbon last week. Mikel Arte...
Bayern Munich vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news
Bayern Munich faces Real Madrid at their home turf on Wednesday night in a Champions League quarter-final second leg.Vincent Kompany’s men head into this match with a one-goal advantage from the fir...
Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona – Match preview and team news
Atletico Madrid is gearing up for their Champions League quarter-final second leg as they welcome Barcelona to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Tuesday.Diego Simeone’s men head into this match with a...
Howe accepts accountability after Newcastle collapse at Crystal Palace
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe accepted full responsibility after his side squandered another lead in a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.Consequently, the Magpies have plummeted t...
Manchester United vs Leeds – Match preview and team news
Manchester United host Leeds United on Monday night to conclude the Premier League action of the matchweek.The Red Devils have enjoyed a remarkable transformation under Michael Carrick since January. ...
Rosenior: Chelsea ‘nowhere near’ expectations against Man City
Liam Rosenior was highly critical of Chelsea’s second-half performance after they fell to a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. The Blues started brightly at Stamford Bridge and even thought t...
Sunderland vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match preview and team news
Roberto De Zerbi makes his Premier League return as Tottenham Hotspur visit Sunderland at the Stadium of Light today.The Italian manager replaces Igor Tudor after a dismal run left Spurs one point abo...
Burnley XI vs Brighton – Predicted lineup and team news
Burnley host in-form Brighton today, aiming to narrow a ten-point gap to Premier League safety.The Clarets have moved closer to relegation after winning only once in 22 league games. Manager Scott Par...
Borussia Dortmund vs Leverkusen
Borussia Dortmund prepares for matchday 29 of the Bundesliga as they welcome Bayern Leverkusen to the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday afternoon.Although Dortmund remains in second position in the table ...
Barcelona vs Espanyol – Predicted lineup and team news
Barcelona will look to make it seven La Liga wins in a row when they host Espanyol at the Camp Nou on Saturday.The Catalan giants have dominated this fixture in recent years — Espanyol haven’t bea...
Juventus predicted lineup and team news vs Atalanta
Juventus make the trip to Bergamo this Saturday night to take on Atalanta in Serie A.Only four points separate the two sides — Juventus sit fifth with 57 points from 31 games, while Atalanta are sev...
AC Milan vs Udinese – Match preview and team news
AC Milan and Udinese meet in a matchday 32 clash of Serie A at the San Siro on Saturday.AC Milan sits in third position at the Serie A table with 63 points from 31 matches, while Udinese are currently...
Group behind transgender school sports referendum opposes drafted ballot question wording
The group 'Protect Girls Sports in Maine' is taking issue with how ballot question is worded, arguing it is "not dutifully faithful to the proposed legislative text and has departed from the most critical language."
Cash expects a tough match in Italy
Bologna have become a familiar face for the Aston Villa faithful in recent times. Not only did the sides play eachother in the group stage of the Europa League earlier this season, but they also met in last season's Champions League campaign. Unai Emery's side came out on top on both occaisions, but Villa defender Matty Cash is not expecting an easy ride.
5️⃣ spicy fixtures you must watch this weekend 🌶
Club football makes its return after the international break with some thrilling ties on the weekend schedule. Our five best games of the weekend feature massive games in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Eng...
West Bromwich vs Wrexham – Predicted lineup and team news
West Bromwich Albion host Wrexham this Good Friday, aiming to record three consecutive league victories for the first time this season.The Baggies have moved into 20th place following back-to-back win...
The Premier League Team of the Season, according to Opta
Deciding on a Premier League Team of the Season is no easy task, with almost every fan forming different opinion.Opta are arguably the game’s leading experts when it comes to football data and have ...
France XI vs Colombia – Predicted lineup and team news
France and Colombia face off in a friendly at Northwest Stadium on Sunday, with both sides treating the match as valuable preparation for the upcoming World Cup.France come into this game after a 2-1 ...
Vance Wins CPAC Straw Poll, but Rubio Gains Steam Among MAGA Faithful
Conference organizers presented the poll results as a rebuttal to narratives that Republicans were split over the Iran war and support for Israel.
Rifts over Iran, but unity for Trump: Takeaways from CPAC 2026
Members of the MAGA faithful gathered in Texas for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. While tensions over Iran split some attendees, Trump remained the glue holding them together.
Youth Sports on Sunday Morning: Four Decisions and Their Dangers
Youth sports increasingly competes with Sunday worship. How can parents of sports-playing kids faithfully navigate this tension?
Marathon has sold 1.2M copies across Steam, PS5, and Xbox
Alinea Analytics estimates show that Marathon has generated gross revenues of $55M via 1.2M copies sold on Steam, PS5, and Xbox: Looking at the split between Steam, PS5, and Xbox, Steam is clearly the main platform for Marathon, accounting for a little under 70% of the audience (800K copies sold). Meanwhile, PS5 takes about 19% (217K) and Xbox (including console, PC, and cloud) accounts for a bit over 11% or 133K. Marathon is technically a first-party Sony title, so seeing the home console struggle to break 20% of the volume is a notable data point for the ongoing platform-agnostic debate. PlayStation Studios online games will almost certainly continue being multiplatform (despite Sony reportedly pulling back on PC releases). Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe As for Marathon, the consensus among hardcore players who pushed through the awkward onboarding phase – myself included – is that it’s fantastic. The gunplay, aesthetic, and presentation are among the best in the shooter genre. A great game doesn’t always equal an immediate hit, though, as shown by our estimates. Things are looking lukewarm right now. But this might be one of those marathon-not-a-sprint situations. Had to, didn’t I? Why wasn’t Marathon a hit on the same level as Arc Raiders? One topic that came up in a lot of conversations at GDC this year was why Marathon hasn’t hit the same stratosphere as Arc Raiders. On paper, they’re both extraction shooters, and Marathon has the Bungie pedigree – the house that built the gold standard for gunplay in Halo and Destiny. Marathon’s neon-futuristic aesthetic also distinguishes itself from the gritty realism of Tarkov or the post-apocalyptic hope of ARC Raiders. But vibes can only get you so far for first impressions if the onboarding feels like a brick wall. Marathon is a sweaty PvP-focused experience with a first-time user experience and UI that I can only describe as dreadful. Players are dropped into a complex ecosystem where the UI, though visually striking, is functionally uninformative, forcing users to manually hover over nondescript, identical icons just to identify basic gear or weapon mods. This lack of clarity is compounded by punishing mechanics like a severe heat gauge for movement and a scarcity of vital resources, all without a clear tutorial or a low-stakes mode to learn the ropes. Most people – even top streamers and veteran shooter players – have no idea what’s going on in Marathon at first. Arc is on the complete other end of the spectrum. As we covered here and here, Arc Raiders offers a more collaborative, approachable loop where players often work together toward shared goals. And the objectives are instantly clear. To many players, this contrast only emphasised Marathon’s issues, especially during the testing period. Players understand the Arc Raiders loop within 30 minutes, while Marathon acts as a massive filter, chewing up newcomers and spitting them out before they can experience the depth of Bungie’s signature gunplay. What I’m getting at here is that the poor first-time user experience of Marathon’s Server Slam likely stifled launch sales, while the opposite was true for Arc. Let’s look at the pre-launch copies sold for each game during their respective Server Slams (launch-aligned) : Looking at the trajectory: Arc Raiders saw a massive 80% jump in copies sold during its three-day Server Slam (day -13 to -11). Players jumped in, realised the water was fine, and immediately opened their wallets. Marathon, meanwhile, saw a 49% increase in the four days following its Slam (Day -7 to -3). At the time of each game’s respective launch, Arc Raiders had nearly double the Steam footprint of Marathon – and word of mouth only continued to grow. Bungie could have had more time to fix the onboarding process had the beta happened earlier. But Marathon launched three days after the beta finished. These factors limited the launch sales quite a bit, I reckon. Marathon has found a niche audience, though Despite the friction-heavy start, the data suggests that those who survived Marathon’s onboarding are loving life. We’ve been tracking cross-platform DAUs, and while there’s the expected post-launch leakage, many players are sticking with it. After peaking at 478K total DAUs on its first Saturday, Marathon has settled into a respectable rhythm, holding 345K DAUs as of yesterday and averaging 380K DAUs across the weekend. Steam continues to do the heavy lifting here, consistently accounting for the lion’s share of the daily players. Players have been putting in the hours, too: On Steam, Marathon’s average playtime has climbed to 27.8 hours, significantly outpacing the console averages on PS5 (16.5h) and Xbox (17.3h). Even more telling than the averages: 22% of the Steam audience has surged past the 50-hour mark, and nearly 7% have already logged over 100 hours. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe This data suggests that once the Bungie magic clicks, it hooks players deeper than the average extraction shooter. There’s also started to be a shift in the game’s discourse. Marathon launched as one of those games that’s cool to hate. But as Marathon’s 100-hour club grows, we’re seeing conversations around its mechanical merit outweigh the negativity. Several high-profile creators, who were initially vocal critics, have spent the last week coming around on the mechanical depth of the endgame. It’s a subtle but positive signal; the hate train is losing steam, and a new narrative about the game is emerging. Bungie faithfuls unite Another interesting metric in Marathon’s first few weeks is who, exactly, is playing. Bungie leans heavily on its prestige as the “makers of Halo and Destiny,” in its marketing, and that message has clearly hit the mark. On Steam, the gravity (hammer) of Bungie’s previous work is unavoidable. A staggering 78.2% of Marathon players also played Destiny 2. The trend carries across other platforms, with 74.2% of PS5 players and 82.7% of Xbox players also having played Destiny 2. The Halo legacy lives on, it seems. More on that in a bit. While Destiny 2 went free to play, these numbers still represent a high-intent migration of a fanbase that trusts Bungie’s specific brand of kinetic gunplay and cryptic world-building. The Xbox data adds another layer of legacy. About 85.7% of Marathon players on Xbox have played Halo Infinite, while over half of the Steam audience has spent time in Halo Infinite and 36.1% in the Master Chief Collection (a paid collection of the old Bungie-made legacy games). Interestingly, we see a 55.9% overlap with ARC Raiders on Steam. Overlap is even higher there on PlayStation (60.5%) and Xbox (66.5%). And there’s also significant crossover with Helldivers 2 on all platforms, too. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe Bungie has found some of its fans with Marathon, and the challenge now is keeping this engaged in a high-stakes PvP environment when they’ve spent the last decade primarily enjoying the power fantasies of PvE. On that note… Go the full 26 miles? Or cut and run? Time for some could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. These things would have improved Marathon’s performance at launch: A more robust onboarding process, perhaps in the form of a short single-player/PvE campaign. We know Bungie fans love this stuff. A traditional arena-based mode akin to Destiny’s Crucible could have been a bridge for the cautious players who’d have been otherwise deterred by the Server Slam. It’s also a great palate cleanser after getting merked. Introducing a dedicated PvE environment would have similarly diversified the conversation and lowered the barrier for the Bungie faithful who found the pure PvP extraction loop too abrasive. PvE is safer than PvP these days. There’s an argument that a thin PvE mode would have just felt like a budget Destiny, potentially hurting the brand more. But given how dire the FTUE is, I think it would have been a net positive. Any kind of tutorialised loop that demystifies the stakes, really. While there is merit in a studio sticking firmly to a singular creative vision, and going all in on the hardcore extraction loop. Less forgiving is the technical reality is that the user interface and first-time user experience (FTUE) were not at a commercial standard for launch. Subscribe for free to get the most accurate games estimates in your inbox twice a week 🫶 Subscribe In a landscape where player time is oversaturated and the most contested currency, a flawed FTUE is a critical failure point. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as Marathon has an incredible, unique gameplay loop, suggesting that financial success is still attainable if Bungie can pivot effectively. Bungie and PlayStation now face a difficult strategic crossroads, though – one within a challenging games market. They could: Double down on Marathon with a long-term Rainbow Six Siege- or No Man’s Sky-style recovery plan, which is something I heard Last Stand Media’s Chris Maldonado mention last week. While this could be a sunk-cost fallacy in action, it could eventually yield the audience the game’s mechanical depth deserves. Shift focus toward the inevitable Destiny 3 or another project, mitigating the escalating opportunity cost and cutting their losses, so to speak. Doing both is an expensive proposition, given the high overhead and burn rate of operating out of Bellevue, Washington. With Sony recently demonstrating a lower threshold for underperforming studios and projects, the margin for error has vanished. Whatever happens, the next six months will determine whether Marathon becomes a cornerstone of Sony’s live-service portfolio or a cautionary tale of vision exceeding accessibility. I’m hoping it’s the former, because Marathon rocks. As always, hit subscribe to get updates on Marathon and other relevant games. Subscribe Want to get your hands on our data for yourself – for free? We’re offering a free trial of our platform for games companies. Send us a message here, or reply to this email, and we’ll set you up. The last word Reply to this email – or reach out here – if you have any feedback for the newsletter – or want to request a game for us to cover. [Alinea Analytics boasts the most accurate PC and console estimates in the business. Game makers use our platform to understand their audience, keep an eye on the competition, monitor sales trends, and spot new opportunities. We equip game studios and financial institutions with accurate data and the confidence to make smarter, data-driven decisions. Want to talk about all things games market data? We’d love to chat!]
Chelsea vs PSG – Match preview and team news
Chelsea welcome Paris Saint-Germain to Stamford Bridge tonight, needing a miracle to overturn a daunting three-goal deficit against the Champions League holders.The Blues arrive following a bruising 5...
Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match preview and team news
Liverpool welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield on Sunday, with both sides desperate to reverse their fortunes after sobering European results in midweek.The Reds return to Merseyside following a narro...
AC Milan vs Inter Milan – Match preview and team news
AC Milan and Inter Milan go head-to-head in a blockbuster top-of-the-table Derby della Madonnina in Serie A on Sunday, with city pride on the line.Inter Milan currently leads the Serie A table with 67...
Bournemouth vs Sunderland – Match preview and team news
The Vitality Stadium plays host to an intriguing early kick-off on Saturday as one of the Premier League’s most consistent sides, Bournemouth, looks to deepen the misery of a sliding Sunderland.The ...
Newcastle United vs Qarabag – Predicted lineup and team news
Newcastle United host Qarabag at St. James’ Park on Tuesday night, aiming to confirm their place in the Champions League last 16 following a dominant first-leg display.The Magpies have moved into a ...
Commentary: Eight candidates, four minutes to run for California governor. Ready, go!
Appearing before the Democratic faithful at the state party convention in San Francisco, hopefuls offered the whys and wherefores of their candidacies. There was a great deal of Trump bashing.
Brentford XI vs Macclesfield – Predicted lineup and team news
Brentford travel to face non-league Macclesfield on Monday night while they aim to avoid becoming the latest victim of the competition’s ultimate giant-killers.The Bees moved into the top seven of t...
Hugo Souza shines as Corinthians end RB Bragantino’s unbeaten run
Corinthians bounced back after their debut defeat in the Brasileirão.Playing in front of their faithful fans for the first time in the competition, Timão defeated Red Bull Bragantino—who had been ...
Zambia bishops instruct clergy and faithful to stay out of partisan politics
“The Church is not and must never be a mouthpiece for any political party or candidate,” the Zambian bishops stated. Read more in this roundup of world news that you may have missed this past week.
Hibernian vs Rangers – Match preview and team news
Rangers will face Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday. With Hearts leading the table and Rangers climbing back into contention, this fixture presents a crucial opportunity for Danny Rohl’s side to cl...
Saturday Night Open Thread: The change would do us good
Come and join this merry band of Steelers’ faithful for some lively debate about our Steelers, good food, music, and the merits of the odd cold beverage.
Benfica vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news
Real Madrid travel to Lisbon for the final matchday of the Champions League league phase to face Jose Mourinho’s Benfica on Wednesday evening.Real Madrid currently sit in third position in the table...
Atletico Madrid vs Mallorca – Predicted lineup and team news
Atletico Madrid hosts Mallorca at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano this Sunday.The hosts currently sit in third spot, tied on 41 points with Villarreal in fourth, while the away side languishes in 16th wi...
Arsenal vs Manchester United – Predicted lineup and team news
Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium this Sunday while they aim to extend their lead at the summit.The Gunners have moved seven points clear of their rivals despite recent goalless d...
PSG XI vs Sporting Lisbon – Predicted lineup and team news
PSG travel to Lisbon to take on Sporting Clube de Portugal in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night. The Parisians arrive following a convincing 3-0 triumph over Lille in Ligue 1, where they occ...